Spotlight

Whirling dervishes sporting gas masks, piano concerts in the middle of Taksim Square, and protest songs with millions of views on YouTube -- they all have one thing in common: They were fuelled by the Gezi Park protests that rippled across Turkey in June.

Sparked by plans to demolish the central Istanbul park and replace it with a replica Ottoman artillery barracks and shopping mall, the protest movement has become a cultural inspiration, giving an outlet to dissenting voices. While Gezi Park and Taksim Square no longer serve as the physical lynchpins of the movement, those voices of dissent have found other ways of being heard.

Plays, dance performances and music sessions started as a means of non-violent resistance against the use of tear gas and water cannon by police to suppress demonstrations in the Taksim Square area. Following the lead of the protesters, recognized Turkish artists are now contributing their own creative vision to the movement.

Singer-songwriter Fulya Ozlem said music serves as a unifying force, even for those who did not participate in the Gezi protests, but identified with those who did.

"The very way that songs make us remember a protest or a resistance movement, even if 30 or 300 years have passed, is quite special," Ozlem said. "They are told through the eyes of the victim, through the eyes of the underprivileged, through the eyes of the abused, but not through the eyes of the powerful. … Art is sincere in that way. Songs are somehow better than newspapers of that day, and due to their artistic worth, they always have the power to raise awareness."

The song "Eyvallah" by the popular grunge band Duman went viral in the days after its release, spreading via social media and amassing more than 1 million views on YouTube. The title is a common informal phrase that is directly translated as "all right." The word is frequently used ironically as a sort of passive resistance by people who are forced to embrace situations they dislike.

Many artists soon followed by releasing their own works concentrated around themes familiar to the protesters: police violence, resistance and social harmony. Among them was Ozbi, a 27-year-old rapper.

"I was in Istanbul during the protests. I felt like I can easily die on the streets after I saw the police violence against protesters and actually someone, Abdullah Comert, died in Antakya that day," he said.

"I was actually working on a different song but then someone died in the protests only because he wanted to decide how he wants to live and the person he wants to become, just like me. So, I did what I know best, rapping. People kept dying. My song 'Asi,' which means 'Rebel,' was born with these emotions I had during the protests," he added.

Ozbi is outspoken about the disproportionate use of force by police against protesters, calling it "totally unacceptable" for such actions to be tolerated.

"Police should take classes about humanity and civil rights, at least 10 hours a week, and people who can't pass these classes shouldn't be allowed become a member of the police force," he said.

The Taksim area is home to creative agencies, art galleries and workshops. Okan Tekelioğlu, an art director in advertising agency, said the protest became part of his life and part of his work.

"We were living and working -- sleepless during the protests. I was at work during the day, in Gezi Park at night. It was physically hard, but it sparked the light creativity in me. ... I decided to dedicate my department to the Gezi Park protests for a week. My colleagues who were in the protests as well agreed with me to support the protests the best way we know. So, we chose gas masks as our main theme. The reason was obvious: It was impossible to move without gas masks because of continuous and intense tear gas used by the police."

Mesut Eren, a 45-year-old painter from Istanbul was also touched by the protests.

"The Gezi resistance is an important sign that shows there is a substantial number of beautiful people in the society. It also has the power to change the direction of art in Turkey. It removed some uncertainty in our artists' mind," he said.

"From now on art won't be pointless," Eren added. "Our people who showed aesthetic resistance will achieve better things along with the artists. There were primary school graduates and poets among the people who did graffiti, but none of them found it necessary to sign their names. Because Gezi resistance was a masterpiece by itself."

Gezi Park has reopened to the public albeit with a significant police presence and it is closed when authorities suspect a demonstration is planned.

Nonetheless, Eren said he finds himself continually inspired by the atmosphere of the protests.

"It was very important to be in Gezi Park and witness the history as an artist during the resistance," Eren said. "It affected me incredibly to see that communal life and solidarity is not that hard as it seems."

What is your favourite piece of art or music that was inspired by the Gezi Park protests? Share your thoughts in the comments section.